Jalousie operator



JuneA 8, 1965 p, BREVI-rz ETAL JALoUsIE oPERAToR .'5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 5l, 1963 PHIL F. REVITZ RAYMONDKHOWDYSHELL *.f E: z

ATTORNEY June 8, 1965 P. F. REvrrz E'rAl. 3,188,074

JALoUsIE OPERATOR Filed July 51, 1 965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ze] 4 36 32 528 lg f "INVENTORS Flg, 7 PHIL F. Rsvrrz BY RAYMONDK.HOWDY$HELL ATTORNEY June 8, 1965 P. F. REvlTz ETAL 3,188,074

JALOUSIE OPERATOR Filed July 3l, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS PHIL F. REVITZ BYRAYMONDYKHOWDYSHELL wwwgf ATTORNEY United States Patent" C 3,138,074- A JALGUSIE UPSERATR Phil IF. Revitz, Mint-ni, and Raymond K. Howdy/shell, Hollywood, Fla., assignors to Ilalrer-Aldor-.lones Corp., Hialeah, Fla., a corporation ot vFlorida Filedxlulyl, i963, Setz-No, 299,0@ 17 Claims, (Si. 26th-lili) This invention'relates to 'operating mechanism for windows,and, infpart'icular, to a device for opening and closing=windows of the jalousieztype, or those with multiple canopies, with glassedY panel, tiltable in either case, on pairs of horizontally disposed trunnions.

Most mechanisms of this ktype have certain, conventional elements, such'as a common, throwrod connected toleverarms extending from the `respective panels, and

- a link connecting the throw rod to the mechanism which provides the throw, and it is a principal object of .the present invention to'provide a novel andhighly improved form of mechanism for providing the throw.

A` currently popular, and widely `usedforni of operator employs 'ar--crankoperated worm andk gear for the throw mechanism.` Whilethis provides' a continuous range of adjustment,. its\use,isiwslow andzlaborious, and =in the absence oflextensive and expensive structural features,

such'fas bearingsiand special materials, is subject to an' objectionable degree of friction, leading to early wear, malfunctioning and breakage.v Bruised lingers mayY also result from the crankaction in closequarters.

It is therefore V-a further object of. theinventionfto provide a throw mechanism which is rapid in action, and` which isharmless to the operator.

A'further object is to provide a. throw rnechanismwithV various degrees of throw, arranged stepwise.

Yet another objectis `to provide` avthrow mechanism which is compact,` and'capable of smooth and easy operation without the need for precision as to bearingsor other features of structure.

A still further object is to provide aV throw mechanism operable in-either direction by a simple, swinging fmovement of a hand lever.`

Another object isto :provide afthrowvmechanism which is actuablefin-"either direction by minor, manual-forces on an inside hand lever, but: which .resists `closingmovement under forces applied anywhere in the system ,other than directly` on thevhand lever.

More specifically, itis an object to provide a throwy mechanisml withfdualfparts having. a lost-motiony connection, one of' the parts. having `one-way ratchet teethY cooperatingqwith a gravity-actuated latch, andthe other having ,two-way camming teeth, operable to lift the latch f and permit retrogradeimovement'of the said one ofV the` FIGURE 3 is a viewsimilarto FIGUREZ', showingv an initial stagelof opening of the panels,`

FIGURE 4 is `a view similar'to FIGURE 3, showing a further stage of opening.V ofthe` panels, and. the throwmechanism l'atched in locking'pos'iti'on,A

, Piensa 5 is a View Sanitas terrorista-t, showing@ initial stage of closing movement of `the mechanism,

FIGURE 6-isa sectional-view taken on ther-planes of the staggered line 6 6 of FIGURE 4,

Patented .inne 8, 1965 FIGURE 7 is a `:sectional view taken on the planes of the staggered line 7 7 of FIGURE4,

FIGURE 8 is a sectional View taken `on the planes and curved segment of the staggered lined-*3 of FIGURE 4,

FIGURE 9 is a sectional viewtaken on the surface of the arcuate line 9-9 of FIGURE 2,`

FIGUREN) is a view similar to FIGURE 9, but taken on the line itl-lll of FIGURE 3, andV FIGURE ll is a view similar to FIGURE 10, but taken on the `line 11-11 of FIGURE 5.

j Referring to the `drawings by characters of reference there-isl shown generally at lll, in FIGURE 2, a window frame, preferably of aluminum, carrying headed pivots l2, each pivotally mounting a curved arm 14, extending from the middle of a glazed, jalousie `unit or panel, 16, atl one end thereof, land. it will'be understood that this trunnion mounting is provided at eachend of the unit. A common throwrod 1S,- of channel section, is pivotally connected, through pins Ztl, to the. outerends of arms 14, in such manner that units 16 areconstrained to Swingin unison, with the panels: I6 thus. remaining in constantparallelism. The common'rod ,18 is actuated in movement of translation, in the direction-of its length,rby means of a relatively short link 22, connected by a p ivot Z4 to rod i8, and by a pivot Zofto the throwpmechanism, which is indicated, as a whole, by the numeral 28.

The back wall or i'langell'of the frametl has an elongate, vertical, rectangular openingy 32, to accommodate the disc portion of the throw unit, and :mounted in `framing relation to this `opening is thelatch housing 34, of channel form, with inturned, inner flanges 36, and rectangular openingV 38, registering with opening 32 in the window trame, the latch housing being secured to the latter by a pair of bolts 4i). A rectangular, metal plate 4Z, snugly lit-ted within'channel 34,- for free, sliding movement, vertically, is gravity-actuated fordropping, into a detent position, and cam-actuated, in a lifting action, tor unlocking the throw mechanism, as will be seen.

Carried by the channel member 34, and extending inwardly through opening; 52, isa perpendicularly disposed tab 44, of trapezoidal form, which serves to mount the discsof the, thrown mechanism. These, two discs, indicated as 46 and d8, respectively, are mounted on a common pivot pin Sil, carried by tab 44. Disc 46 carries the pin '26, and therefore communicates the throw to link 22. Disc douhas a seriesV of ratchet teeth 52 over about one-third of its periphery, whereby the disc may move clockwise, as seen in FIGURE 3, by camming the latch 42 upwardly, but is prevented by the latchv from moving in the counter clockwise direction. Such return movement is provided for by cooperative action of the other disc 48, in a manner which will now be described. For each ratchet tooth 52 on disc 46, disc i8` has acorresponding and adjacent tooth 54, in the general form of an isoceles triangle, and thetwo sets of teeth have a limited range of relative positions of angular adjustment by virtue of a slip connection, comprising a pin 56 carried bydisc 46 and engaging in a limited, arcuate slot 58 in disc d. The discs are in the normal position of adjustment, with the vertices of teeth 54lslightly displaced clockwise from the vertices of teeth 52, when the pin 56 is at the top limit of slot 58, and the` discs are yieldably retained inr this position by virtue of a tension coil spring 59, located in registering, arcuate, peripheral slots d@ in the discs, andwithv itsrends attached to portions of the discs which extend into the grooves. In this position ofteeth 54, the front, radial faces 62 of teeth 52 are entirely clear, for reception of 'the detent plate, or latch, 42, as seen in FIGURE 4..

Disc 4S? has a generally radially extending, handle lever r64, which may be provided with a finger hole 66.

atesora Assuming the jalousie panels closed, as in FIGURE 2, where the end of the closing operation is illustrated, upon release of the downward force on handle o4, disc 48 will rotate counterclockwise under the urging of spring 59, until the bottom of slot 53 approaches pin 5d. Opening of the panels is accomplished simply by an upward, relatively light pressure of the hand on lever 64. Since the pin 56 is at the bottom of slot 58, discs 46 and 48 move in unison. At each ratchet tooth 5.2., the detent t2 is lifted by a camming action, iirst by one side of a tooth S4, and then by a small portion of the slant side of tooth 52, at its vertex, before dropping down along the radial edge 62 of tooth 52. This is repeated at each tooth 52, and the operation may be terminated at any desired ratchet tooth, depending upon what degree of opening of the windows is desired. In this position the system is locked open against all forces except a deliberate, downward force on handle 64, but the remarkable fact is that with only a relatively light downward pressure on the handle, the panels close as though no locking detent or latch means were present in the system. This is due to the rotary play, or lost motion, between the two discs, whereby disc 48, which is integral with handle 64, is able to move, in spite of the positive detention of disc 46 by the plate 42 engaging a ratchet tooth S2. Thus, as disc 48 rotates against the pull of spring 59, the slanted, leading face of tooth 54 moves under latch plate 42 and gradually moves it upwardly. As long as the downward pressure is maintained on handle 64 the slanted, leading edges of teeth S4 will remain in advance of the radial edges 62 of ratchet teeth 52, and thus the latch is cammed upwardly to clear each ratchet tooth as it arrives. The unlocking action is thus continuous, and takes place as though no detents were present in the system at all. Yet, in any adjusted, open position of the panels the system is thoroughly locked against any casual forces.

The biasing means for the lost-motion connection may partake of other forms than the circumferential spring shown. For instance, the well-known arrangement of a helically operable coil spring, arranged on the axis of pin 50, may be employed.

The lost-motion connection may also partake of forms other than the particular pin-and-slot arrangement shown. Also, members 46 and 48 need not be constructed as fullsize discs, since all that is necessary is a pair of sectors suiiicient in extent to accommodate the toothed portions.

The gravity-actuated latch, or pawl, while representing a preferred form, may also be varied by substitution of other means, such as a spring-pressed pawl.

With reference to what has been referred to hereinbefore as the ringer hole 66 of the lever 64, it is often the case that windows of the type herein involved are installed in relatively high locations, and the hole is adapted to accommodate a standard window opening device.

Generally speaking, whereas a certain, preferred em- Ebodiment has been shown and described, various modifications will be apparent, in the light of this disclosure, and the invention should not, therefore, be deemed as limited, except insofar as shall appear from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

I. In a system having multiple panels mounted for swinging in unison, an operating unit comprising a swingably mounted lever, a detent arrangement in said unit, yieldable in one direction of swing of said lever and arranged to normally prevent swinging of said lever in the other direction, and rst means associated with said unit, and responsive to swing of said lever in said other direction to inactivate said detent means, said first means having a lost-motion connection with said lever.

2. In a system having multiple panels mounted for' swinging in unison, an operating unit comprising a swingably mounted lever,V a detent arrangement in said unit, yieldable in one direction of swing of said lever and arranged to normally prevent swinging of said lever in the other direction, and means associated with said unit, and responsive to swing of said lever in said other direction to inactivate said detent arrangement, said means comprising an element mounted for swing co-axially with said detent arrangement, and having a lost-motion connection therewith.

3. In a system having multiple panels mounted for swinging in unison, an operating unit comprising a swingably mounted lever, a detent arrangement in said unit, yieldable in one direction of swing of said lever and arranged to normally prevent swinging of said lever in the other direction, and means associated with said unit,

and responsive to swing of said lever in said other direction to inactivate said detent arrangement, said detent arrangement comprising a series of ratchet teeth circumferentially arranged about the axis of swing of said lever,

and a pawl co-operating with said teeth, and said arrangement having a lost-motion connection with said means.

4. In a system having multiple panels mounted for swinging in unison, an operating unit comprising a swingably mounted lever, a detent arrangement in said unit, yieldable in one direction of swing of said lever and arranged to normally prevent swinging of said lever in the other direction, and means associated with said unit, and responsive to swing of said lever in said other direction to inactivate said detent arrangement, said detent arrangement comprising a series of ratchet teeth circumferentially arranged about the axis of swing of said lever, and a pawl co-operating with said teeth, said means comprising an element mounted for swing co-axially with said detent arrangement, and having a lost-motion connection therewith.

5. In a system having multiple panels mounted for swinging in unison, an operating unit comprising a swingably mounted lever, a detent arrangement in said unit, yieldable in one direction of swing of said lever and arranged to normally prevent swinging of said lever in the other direction, and means associated with said unit, and responsive to swing of said lever in said other direction to inactivate said detent arrangement, said detent arrangement comprising a pawl, and an arcuately disposed ratchet swingably mounted co-axially with said lever, and said means comprising a cam carried by said lever.

6. A device according to claim 5, said ratchet and said cam comprising relatively thin plates, with closely adjacent surfaces.

7. In a system having multiple panels mounted for swinging in unison, an operating unit comprising a swingably mounted lever, a detent arrangement in said unit, yieldable in one direction of swing of said lever and arranged to normally prevent swinging of said lever in the other direction, and means associated with said unit, and responsive to swing of said lever in said other direction to inactivate said detent arrangement, said detent arrangement comprising a pawl, and an arcuately disposed ratchet swingably mounted co-aXially with said lever, and said means comprising a cam carried by said lever and a lost motion connection between said ratchet and said cam.

'8. In a system having multiple panels mounted for swinging in unison, an operating unit comprising a swingably mounted lever, a detent arrangement in said unit,

yieldable in one direction of swing of said lever and ar- `responsive to swing of said lever in said other direction to inactivate said detent arrangement, said detent arrangement comprising a pawl, and an arcuately disposed ratchet swingably mounted co-axially with said lever, and said means comprising a cam carried by said lever, said cam comprising a series of peripheral serrations, adapted for camming action in both directions of swing of said lever.

10. A device according to claim 9, said ratchet having teeth with a slant side and a substantially radial side, and said serrations being substantially in the form of isoceles triangles.

11. In a 'system having multiple panels mounted for swinging in unison, an operating uni-t comprising a swingably mounted lever, a detent arrangement in said unit, yieldable in one direction of swing of said lever and arranged to normally prevent swinging of said lever in the other direction, and means associated with said unit, and responsive to swing of said lever in said other direction to inactivate said detent arrangement, said means including a cam carried by said lever, said cam comprising a series of peripheral serrations, adapted for camming action in both directions of swing and a lost-motion connection between said ratchet and said cam.

12. In a system having multiple panels mounted for swinging in unison, an operating unit comprising a swingably mounted lever, a detent arrangement in said unit, yieldable in one direction of swing of said lever and arranged to normally prevent swinging of said lever in the other direction, and means comprising a cam associated with said unit, and responsive to swing of said lever in said other direction to inactivate said detent arrangement, said cam comprising a series of peripheral serrations, adapted for camming action in both directions of swing, a lost-motion connection between said ratchet and said cam, and spring means biasing the parts to a limiting position of said lost-motion connection.

13. In a system having multiple panels mounted for swinging in unison, an operating unit comprising a swingably mounted lever, a detent arrangement in said unit comprising a toothed ratchet, yieldable in one direction of swing of said lever and arranged to normally prevent swinging of said lever in the other direction, and means associated with said detent arrangement and comprising a cam having serrations about the axis of swing of said lever, and responsive to swing of said lever in said other direction to inactivate said detent arrangement, a lostmotion connection between said ratchet and said cam, and spring means biasing said ratchet and cam to a first limiting position of said lost-motion connection, said serrations and the teeth of said ratchet having vertices, each vertex of a tooth of said ratchet substantially coinciding with the vertex of a respective one of said serrations at the second limiting position of said lost-motion connection.

14. A device according to claim 13, said ratchet and said cam comprising relatively thin plates, with closely adjacent surfaces.

15. An operating device Vfor a plurality of interconnected louvers simultaneously operable between open and closed positions, comprising, first and second disc mounted in contiguous relation for pivoting vabout a common axis, said first disc having a first plurality of circumferentially-spaced teeth in its periphery lost-motion means interconnecting said discs for limited relative pivoting between lirst and second limiting positions, means yieldingly urging said discs into said irst position, a latch yieldingly urged into contact with the peripheires of said discs and effective when said discs are in said rst position to releasably engage the teeth of said rst disc and lock the same against one direction of pivotal adjustment about said axis, means carried by said second disc and eliective when said discs are in said second position of relative pivoting only, to render said latch means ineffective on said first disc, and a lever connected with said second disc and operable to pivot the same.

16. The device of claim 15, said last-named means comprising a second plurality of teeth in the periphery of said second ldisc and circumferentially spaced the same as said first plurality of teeth, the tip of each tooth of said irst plurality being in coincidence with the tip of a corresponding tooth of said second plurality, when said discs are in said second limiting position of relative pivotal adjustment, each said tooth of said second disc being operable to cam said latch out of locking engagement with the corresponding tooth of said first disc when said discs are pivoted as a unit only in said second position of relative pivotal adjustment thereof.

17. In a closure for a wall opening, an open frame to lit said opening, a plurailty of louvers, each mounted in said frame for pivoting about respective spaced parallel coplaner axes, a rod interconnecting said louvers for conjoint pivoting between open and closed positions, first and second contiguous discs mounted in said frame for pivoting about a common axis centrally of both, an operating connection between said rod and first disc, both said discs having a plurality of equiangularly circumferentiallyspaced teeth in their peripheries, a latch yieldingly urged into engagement with the teeth of both said discs, a lost motion connection between said discs and limiting pivoting thereof between iirst and second positions of relative adjustment, spring means yieldingly urging said discs into said Iirstposition of relative pivotal adjustment wherein the teeth of each tooth of said lirst dise lies between the tips of a consecutive pair of teeth of said second disc and said latch is operative to engage and lock said first disc against pivoting in one direction, means operable to pivot the second dise into said second position in said one direction to move said discs into said second position wherein each tooth of one disc registers with a corresponding tooth of the other disc and continued pivoting of both said discs in said one direction cams said latch out of locking engagement with said first disc.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,649,728 8/53 Buttner 268-96 X 2,705,141 3/55 Postell 268-96 HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A SYSTEM HAVING MULTIPLE PANELS MOUNTED FOR SWINGING IN UNISON, AN OPERATING UNIT COMPRISING A SWINGABLY MOUNTED LEVER, A DETENT ARRANGEMENT IN SAID UNIT, YIELDABLE IN ONE DIRECTION OF SWING OF SAID LEVER AND ARRANGED TO NORMALLY PREVENT SWINGING OF SAID LEVER IN THE OTHER DIRECTION, AND FIRST MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID UNIT, AND RESPONSIVE TO SWING OF SAID LEVER IN SAID OTHER 